PGA pushes for rollout of GM crops

The Pastoralists and Graziers Association (PGA) is urging the State Government to press ahead with the rollout of genetically modified (GM) crops, saying it has a 'mandate' from the election.

The Agriculture Minister Terry Redman faced a major battle to hold onto his seat of Warren-Blackwood after a campaign led by environmental groups to oust him over his support of GM technology.

Mr Redman is now almost certain to hold onto the seat.

The PGA's John Snooke says Mr Redman's survival, as well as the poor results of the Greens, is a vote of confidence in GM crops.

"People realise GM crops are a very useful tool," he said.

"I think what we're seeing is a little bit of backlash, community backlash, to the fear mongering that continually comes from these environmental groups that infiltrate agriculture."

The Conservation Council's Piers Verstegen has labelled the PGA's comments 'ridiculous' and says the 7 per cent swing against Mr Redman show that.

"People are concerned about the introduction of GM crops," he said.

"The GM crops issue and also the logging issue were campaigned on strongly by a range of community groups and conservation groups in the lead-up to the election.

"That's resulted in Agriculture Minister Terry Redman's support at the polls plummeting and I think that's a strong endorsement by the community that we need to be much more cautious about the introduction of GM crops."

Mr Snooke says the use of GM crops should be expanded.

"The community has given them [the State Government] a mandate to do so," he said.

"They've got two research facilities, one at Merredin and one at Katanning; I would like to see them really facilitate some commercial enterprises there to ramp up exploration into drought and frost tolerance."

Mr Verstegen says community resistance to the use of GM crops continues.

"It's a clear statement that people are concerned about the introduction of GM crops and also a range of other policies that Minister Redman has put in place, including expansion of native forest logging in our south-west," he said.